H.C.R. No. 200 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a distinguished Texan with 1-2 the passing of former State Representative Lou Nelle Sutton on July 1-3 1, 1994, at the age of 88; and 1-4 WHEREAS, A native of Livingston, she lived for a time in San 1-5 Angelo and completed college in Austin before settling in San 1-6 Antonio, the city she was proud to call home; and 1-7 WHEREAS, In 1958, she became the bride of G. J. Sutton and 1-8 over the course of the couple's happy and rewarding marriage, 1-9 Mr. Sutton, in 1972, became the first African-American elected to 1-10 represent the citizens of Bexar County in the Texas House of 1-11 Representatives; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Determined to carry on her husband's important work 1-13 after his passing in June of 1976, Mrs. Sutton won a special 1-14 election during the 64th Legislature to fill his unexpired term and 1-15 was so effective in that office that she was subsequently elected 1-16 in her own right to a full two-year term and was then reelected to 1-17 five additional terms until her retirement from public office in 1-18 1989; and 1-19 WHEREAS, A member of the Appropriations Committee throughout 1-20 her entire legislative career, this dedicated public servant worked 1-21 diligently to secure many important projects of benefit to both her 1-22 community and state during her tenure, including the replacement of 1-23 the New Braunfels Street Bridge, the renovation of San Antonio's 1-24 St. Paul Square, and the completion of the G. J. Sutton State 2-1 Office Building on the city's east side; and 2-2 WHEREAS, In addition, Mrs. Sutton helped to obtain millions 2-3 of dollars in funding that have had a lasting impact on The 2-4 University of Texas at San Antonio, the San Antonio State Hospital, 2-5 and the greater San Antonio community; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Outside the legislative arena, Mrs. Sutton also 2-7 played an active role in making her community a better place in 2-8 which to live and raise a family through her service on the boards 2-9 of many social, civic, educational, and community-based 2-10 organizations; and 2-11 WHEREAS, A respected businesswoman as well, Mrs. Sutton was 2-12 the owner of Sutton-and-Sutton Mortuary, which she had founded with 2-13 her husband, and in recent years she was instrumental in designing 2-14 and constructing a new state-of-the-art funeral home to better 2-15 serve the community; and 2-16 WHEREAS, The recipient of many accolades for her extensive 2-17 achievements, Mrs. Sutton was awarded an honorary doctor of laws 2-18 degree from Huston-Tillotson College, her alma mater, and honorary 2-19 membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Links, the 2-20 PALS, the Progressive Women's Club, and the Business and 2-21 Professional Women's Club; and 2-22 WHEREAS, A lifetime member of the NAACP and the YWCA, 2-23 Mrs. Sutton also was an active churchgoer who served at various 2-24 times as a Sunday school teacher and usher during her more than 50 2-25 years of worshipping at St. Paul United Methodist Church; and 2-26 WHEREAS, In all aspects of her life, Lou Nelle Sutton 2-27 demonstrated unfailing wisdom, graciousness, and dedication to that 3-1 which she knew to be right; though her presence will be deeply 3-2 missed by all who were privileged to know her, the memory of this 3-3 remarkable woman will surely live on through the wealth of valuable 3-4 accomplishments she leaves behind; now, therefore, be it 3-5 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas, 3-6 Regular Session, 1995, hereby pay tribute to the life of former 3-7 State Representative Lou Nelle Sutton and extend sincere sympathy 3-8 to the members of her family: to her stepchild, Jeffrey Dean 3-9 Sutton; to her three grandchildren; to her niece, Mae Nelle 3-10 Fleming; to her great-nieces, Regina Fleming and Belinda Fleming; 3-11 to her great-nephew, Forrest Fleming; and to the many other friends 3-12 and relatives of this esteemed woman; and, be it further 3-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-14 prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas 3-15 House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in 3-16 memory of the Honorable Lou Nelle Sutton.